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Class Action Lawsuit?

Any views or thoughts on this current HepC news. Is it positive? I think it’s positive only b/c it brings the fact of HepC to the public eye, sure everyone deserves tx, but how far should we go? Anyone?

LOS ANGELES – In a recent Associated Press article, about 30,000 California state prison inmates filed a class action lawsuit claiming insufficient health care for those with hepatitis C.
The lead plaintiff, Kevin Jackson, was diagnosed with advanced liver disease due to hepatitis C infection in 2007 and claims he has repeatedly been denied treatment since. The director of health services for California state prisons, Robin Dezember is named as the defendant.
This lawsuit comes after a collapsed settlement of another lawsuit claiming the prisons are overpopulated. The issue is raised again in the current suit, which claims overcrowding violates prisoner rights and leads to poor health care.
July 10, 2008

I'm not a lawyer and I don't have all the facts, but I believe there's an amendment to the US Constitution forbidding cruel and unusual punishment.

When a person receives a prison sentence, he's being told that he must spend a certain amount of time locked away from society. Some people are sentenced to death. To deny medical care and possibly hasten a prisoner's death would seem cruel and unusual and way beyond the limits of their sentence, IMHO.

Yes! It is Positive in so far as there is a population, “many” throughout the US and world that “people” are housed in close quarters of one another where the risk are too high to even imagine at this juncture but the truth will never be told. It is right to be imprisoned for ones wrong doings but to be put at health risk of others. Do you think that they know the infected population with in the system? Yup, just maybe to darn scary to let it be published.

I served time before, when I was alot younger, but I never served any prison time. With that said I do have friends and family in the prison system and I would certainly want them to be tx'ed if they needed to be. The real problem with this lawsuit is who is gonna get tx'ed? There are alot of inmates serving sentences who have commited crimes against women and children and in my opinion should have rec'd the death penalty, but instead they rec'd lengthy sentences. The government could always do liver transplants using the inmates on death rows livers', they're sentenced to death anyway. Just kidding of course, but this is gonna be a big mess within the system. If anyone works for the California Dept. of Corrections you know what I'm talking about. Actually they (the dept) is already working on putting together a much better health care system in place so the lawsuit isn't really that big of a surprise for them. later

I thought the same thing, obviously this class action lawsuit is just part of the bigger picture here in California. State prisoners have been filing lawsuits and winning for quite awhile. Maybe it will help the average poor or under insured towards getting tx'ed once and for all. I mean if they are gonna start txing prisoners as they should, then maybe those who are not eligible for Medicare or MediCal will receive better access for tx. We'll have to see what happens with this one, but it could be promising for all heppers. More to be revealed, I'm sure.

Plata v. Davis challenged the constitutional adequacy of the CDC’s medical care system under the Fourteenth and Eight Amendments to the United States Constitution. The action also asserts that the medical system denies prisoners with some disabilities access to prison programs, services, and activities in violation of the ADA and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. The suit sought injunctive and compensatory relief. The court approved a settlement agreement in 2002, laying out a schedule by calendar year for bringing institutions into compliance with constitutional standards. The Department is in the second year of implementation.

The Plata Contract Branch (PCB) was created as part of the plan by the Office of the Receiver to improve and streamline the direct medical service contract and invoice processing needs to ensure continuing medical care for inmates located within the California Department of Corrections & Rehabilitation's (CDCR) institutions. The PCB is responsible for processing efficient and cost effective direct medical service contracts that include contract oversight/guidance to CDCR institutions/headquarters; and for consistent and timely processing/payment of medical invoices, including capturing medi-data for adult CDCR institutions.

On one hand.....I'm an honest citizen, don't break the law, doing as I should, etc......50 yrs old and lost my insurance thru tx-tho it was lousy. Now I am uninsurable, for 2 years (they SAY!) and I don't qualify for anything....state, government, nothing. I am in the 'fall's thru the cracks' bunch and age. It's scary and I have to pay for everything at this point, which means I won't get the needed colonoscopy and other things. A local women's clinic just 'snuck' in my mammogram, pap testing , etc. which was wonderful of them as I didn't qualify.

That said.....than we have the prisoners needing medical care. While I believe they SHOULD get care, can't help that it angers me that I can NOT get a thing to help.
Not bashing the need for them, bashing the help for us in the cracks.

While I was txing some friends from work came to visit, didn't know I had hep, as we talked I told them and I saw this look on their faces...I'm thinking 'Oh sh*t, shouldn't have told them' and in the next hour they poured their story out on their son is in prison and can't get proper tx for Hep! What he did get was quite brutal..."here's the meds, do them, hope you make it thru it, we'll check on you now and than". He didn't make it thru tx, nor clear. Now they won't treat him anymore. I gave them a lot of insight into hep, they knew nothing, which shocked me as it was their son!

I do feel the risk are pretty scary in prison, doubt their handing out condoms to those poor young guys that screw up and get in there and get raped. This is a touchy subject for me! I know several that got way too much punishment for the crime, and I won't even get started on those in prison for pot, not paying fines, etc. I saw a sweet, naive 19 yr. old girl get 1 yr. because she smoked pot on probation for pot (ok, wrong yes, sending a 19 yr. old, in college girl to prison for that IS wrong!) The thing to keep in mind in this for those that feel 'they broke the law-screw them' is that there IS many that shouldn't be in there, that we should have better programs for, etc. I JUST helped a 24 yr. old kid that spent 6 mths. in there waiting for a trial after his girlfriend started a fight , called the cops and said he hit her (he did not) but he's a poor kid, no options to get out. Had he gotten no help, he could have easily ended up in prison a year or two, undeserved. He was sent to prison in Ala. at 16 for stealing-1st offense...than raped there. It scarred this kid terribly-changed him for life at 16. This guy never got a chance, anywhere! He had an abscess tooth in jail, he suffered weeks before they even gave him a tylenol! Has he 'paid' for his crime and deserves no treatment? Nothing is black and white. I believe they can get help, Fret, if there is a squeaky wheel on the outside.

And while greedy, unfair lawsuits hurt us in all area's, some are justified. If a prisoner ask for, consents to, is informed of the risk of any tx and the meds....I doubt they could sue later, unless over medicated, they do something wrong.

and also.........they are not alone in their wait time. Ever go to a health dept??
A friend has hep, she's going thru there, 1st app. was all day, labs took mths., and next app. was 3 mths. off. She has yet to be seen or treated by even a GI and has been there near a year! Stoll doesn't know her Geno. I'm trying to get her to Shands!

And than.....there is our Vet's! My brother in law, a war vet....terrible health, pancrea's, heart, diabetes.....finally told he also has Hep C a few mths. ago. He tested positive for pot...they won't treat him AT ALL for anything...no cancer test, no hep test, nothing until he test 'clean' for 6 mths. He can't get out of bed or walk to the dam mailbox! His wife, my sister...in chemo 9 yrs. now for 'incurable cancer' , now on medicaid after thier life savings/years of work depleted from illness's...finally got medicaid to continue her tx...she test positive for pot, smokes it thru out her chemo...yet the state isn't denying her tx??? She's livid! Let's be real here....how many vets smoke pot? How many cancer patients smoke pot? Neither of them would ever eat if they stopped!

The frightening, saddest thing here is I see no answers or solutions ahead for any mentioned in this thread....the prisoners, the vet's or us that fall in the insurance/help cracks. I would gladly pay for good insurance...I can't get it!

Glad to hear from you especially on this touchy subject. I never included prisoner's who get raped when I posted this question so that brings up a whole new set of prisoner's who may need to get tx'ed as well. The population who came to mind for me was inmates who were already infected and some who are addicts and were infected in prison using dope, I'm sure that percentage is small in comparison to the men who have gotten raped. I have been in the County health system before so I know how it works and how neglectful it can be. The whole problem with the county system in Sacramento is that nobody does anything to fix it, ever and it just keeps getting worse and worse. The Sac County Primary care system is one of the most unsanitized places on earth and they tx ppl there for various illnesses and you can stay there a whole day and not even be seen that day, you will have to come back the following day. I've been one of the ppl who fall thru the cracks before so I know what it's like, but that was a long time ago. Oh as far as health care thru my county, I haven't been thru it since 1987, or 1997. It was during my addiction so it's not really something I try to remember. I actually preferred going to Harm Reduction Services in my area as I felt the whole system was better set up to help ppl rather than hauling a bunch of sick ppl into one room so they can all infect each other with various germs all day long. It's really a very sad place to go to, at least it used to be. I know they rebuilt the building so hopefully some ppl are getting tx'ed now. All I know is the last time I was in rehab was in 1997 and there was one girl who lived in our rehab apartments and she had HepC and couldn't get tx'ed for it, I think she actually left to go to a different center. I hope she got her HepC tx'ed as that is all that poor girl ever talked about. Well California is supposed to be a leader, but we are not always a leader in a positive sense. We are known for being too liberal because of various reasons and on the other extreme we are a leader in technology, government and law. I hope our prisoners get tx'ed even the ones who did really krappy things because it could open other doors and then we can treat the "fall thru the cracks" ppl. It really ***** b/c it's kinda like trickle down economics except it's starting from the bottom of the barrel. So it's trickle down economics in reverse. What I'm saying is instead of taking care of our sick in the free world we will be going to the prison system and working out to the poor or fall thru the cracks people afterwards. It hardly seems fair and isn't logical in any sense of the word, but unfortunately with the stigma attached to this illness we need all the help we can get from whatever source possible. Oh just so you know, Harm Reduction Services is not just for drug addicts, they treat all people with health care issues at least in Sacramento they do.
God Bless

pretty hilarious. my rapist could get treatment I'm having to pay for. Hey, he lived with his mom prior to assaulting me, maybe I could sue for their homeowner's insurance.

Truly though, I've never been down with prison denying tx. Because when you think about it, my rapist HAD hepc while he was in prison last time, the police showed me all of his records pertaining just to that, which is legal in Alabama. So if he'd received tx then, I might not have hepc now. Think about that. And if they treated in prison, it would stem the tide of the drug related spread of hepc. So I am all for tx in prison. And its only humane to give good medical care to inmate anyway. That's part of the no cruel and unusual punishment. As an inmate you don't have a choice about working for health insurance or not so it almost has to be provided for you in my view. And for God's sake at least they should treat communicable diseases. That keeps down the spread in their own prison systems. Someone shouldn't leave prison with a disease they didn't come in with.

never included prisoner's who get raped when I posted this question so that brings up a whole new set of prisoner's who may need to get tx'ed as well. The population who came to never included prisoner's who get raped when I posted this question so that brings up a whole new set of prisoner's who may need to get tx'ed as well. The population who came to mind for me was inmates who were already infected and some who are addicts and were infected in prison using dope
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why should it matter how they got infected any more on the inside than it does on the outside? I think we have to stop "moralizing' this issue. Its just like the AIDS issue. Everyone deserves both treatment and our compassion, and if they can't afford it I believe it should be subsidized both for their sakes and to stem the spread so more people aren't faced with hepc, which as we well know, is an awful disease, with an awful medication process in order to reach a cure.

never included prisoner's who get raped when I posted this question so that brings up a whole new set of prisoner's who may need to get tx'ed as well. The population who came to never included prisoner's who get raped when I posted this question so that brings up a whole new set of prisoner's who may need to get tx'ed as well. The population who came to mind for me was inmates who were already infected and some who are addicts and were infected in prison using dope
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why should it matter how they got infected any more on the inside than it does on the outside? I think we have to stop "moralizing' this issue. Its just like the AIDS issue. Everyone deserves both treatment and our compassion, and if they can't afford it I believe it should be subsidized both for their sakes and to stem the spread so more people aren't faced with hepc, which as we well know, is an awful disease, with an awful medication process in order to reach a cure.

never included prisoner's who get raped when I posted this question so that brings up a whole new set of prisoner's who may need to get tx'ed as well. The population who came to never included prisoner's who get raped when I posted this question so that brings up a whole new set of prisoner's who may need to get tx'ed as well. The population who came to mind for me was inmates who were already infected and some who are addicts and were infected in prison using dope
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why should it matter how they got infected any more on the inside than it does on the outside? I think we have to stop "moralizing' this issue. Its just like the AIDS issue. Everyone deserves both treatment and our compassion, and if they can't afford it I believe it should be subsidized both for their sakes and to stem the spread so more people aren't faced with hepc, which as we well know, is an awful disease, with an awful medication process in order to reach a cure.

never included prisoner's who get raped when I posted this question so that brings up a whole new set of prisoner's who may need to get tx'ed as well. The population who came to never included prisoner's who get raped when I posted this question so that brings up a whole new set of prisoner's who may need to get tx'ed as well. The population who came to mind for me was inmates who were already infected and some who are addicts and were infected in prison using dope
--------------------------------------------------------
why should it matter how they got infected any more on the inside than it does on the outside? I think we have to stop "moralizing' this issue. Its just like the AIDS issue. Everyone deserves both treatment and our compassion, and if they can't afford it I believe it should be subsidized both for their sakes and to stem the spread so more people aren't faced with hepc, which as we well know, is an awful disease, with an awful medication process in order to reach a cure.

never included prisoner's who get raped when I posted this question so that brings up a whole new set of prisoner's who may need to get tx'ed as well. The population who came to never included prisoner's who get raped when I posted this question so that brings up a whole new set of prisoner's who may need to get tx'ed as well. The population who came to mind for me was inmates who were already infected and some who are addicts and were infected in prison using dope
--------------------------------------------------------
why should it matter how they got infected any more on the inside than it does on the outside? I think we have to stop "moralizing' this issue. Its just like the AIDS issue. Everyone deserves both treatment and our compassion, and if they can't afford it I believe it should be subsidized both for their sakes and to stem the spread so more people aren't faced with hepc, which as we well know, is an awful disease, with an awful medication process in order to reach a cure.

Whoa! Alagirl, I certainly didn't mean to exclude men who got raped or anything at all like that, I don't know why you just gave me 5 posts, but trust me I don't deserve that. I even say that all our prisoner's need to be tx'ed even the one's who did krappy things and that was used in the context of crimes against women and children. No where did I ever say don't tx the men who got raped, it didn't come to mind when I posted, that's all. It certainly doesn't matter to me how a person got infected, I hope nobody else thought the same way you did. Hey I got my HepC from using dope so believe me when I say I am no better than anyone else and I am sorry if anyone got offended. later

My assailaints last address was the prision. He hadn't even got a place to live, before he got high on crack, stole a car, crashed outside my house, broke into my house, fought with me (knife), infected me with Hep C. Prisions are the breeding ground for a lot of the Hep C in society, it spreads within prision, and it spreads when prisioners come out. My virologist told me that half her patients are prisioners (maybe Canada gives better care?), what typically happens is they get out on parole, fail the terms of parole (as drug tested during parole), serve out entire sentence, then go straight back to drug use.

Unless prisioners are drug tested and can prove they are clean, I don't see the point in treatment, the odds of reinfection are just too high IMO.

Further to that - my point being, it is drug use that is the primary reason that Hep C continues to spread in prisions - the prision system is awash in drugs, and when prisioners come out, the cycle just carries on. I do think there needs to be some sort of system to rehabilitate those who are willing to get off drugs, and those prisioners who acheive that, could be offered treatment. The frustrating thing at the moment is that when my assailiant comes out he may be every bit as addicted to drugs as when he came out last time. I'd rather he be required to "clean up" in prision, and prove he was clean, before being released, but that's another story I guess. I think the class action suit is ridiculous though, because the majority of the prisioners in the suit, I am betting, are using drugs at the moment.

I apologize to both of you for what happened to you, although I knew ppl who come out of prison and fail their parole thru a dirty test I don't know any that use violence against women. Also I guess I should realize that HepC is spread thru sex and especially violence and rape. I don't associate with ppl like the two bassturds that violated your lives, but in defense of drug addicts I can tell you that some people are evil. My money says that regardless of drug use those two were perverts and evil a$$holes way before drug use. When I served jail time I ran into ppl that were criminals first and thru going thru the system became drug users. TY Moa for speaking your mind, when I'm on here I don't sugar coat sh!t and I appreciate it when everyone else speaks their mind as well. Alagirl, I realized after I posted that there was actually something wrong with med helps side and not yours at all. On a different note, I did use dope in jail, a few times on a little binky, that was obviously smuggled in, however in prison it's a city within a city and the inmates work in the dispensaries. Trust me on this, although they are hard to find sometimes, syringes are there and so is the dope. Now I hope we can move onward with this subject or something else to talk about. You both have a good day.

i must say that for a prisoner to get treated before a lawabiding citizen is outrageous
we have tried to get treatment other than a study for my boyfriend for a long time he just wants the regular treatment we have no insurance and the goverment ( local health department ) DOES NOT treat hep C you can't get medicade unless you are disabled what are we supposed to do
i guess he can go to prison and then he can get treatment.........

I have a friend who is a prision officer (well, just remand centre)- he tells me it is almost impossible to search people sufficiently to prevent drugs entering - people are coming and going all the time. I wonder to what extent it is considered a problem as well, as in, I'm not sure if the guards really care that much if it keeps prisioners occupied.

Fretboard - my incident was in no way sexual. Basically, the bloke stole a car, police chased him, and he crashed, then, in a high state, decided to use his knife to try and take a hostage (I fought with him, my family got away - hostage situation with police). Me and my family were lucky I guess, it turned out OK. The interesting thing is that after police fired a shot, and my assailant became badly injured (almost severed his thumb throwing hand throw window), he calmed down and started talking about his family, his kids, etc. I don't really have anything personal against him, my house was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. Even talking to the crown prosecutor, he broke down and cried after being told of my infection. Interestingly in a hostage situation, the hostage is often sympathetic to the person who ultimatley let them go, so maybe that is clouding my view a bit, but I actually think he is someone who could be reformed, if he could get onto the right program that gets him away from drugs. As to whether that is possible in the prision system, you would have more knowledge than me - I do think though that unless people can be cleaned up, there is not much point in treatment - getting the drug problem dealt with first is a bigger priority. I fear the reverse sometimes happens though - if anything, prision may be exasperating the cycle.

I know this lawsuit isn't fair to everyone and I'm glad you spoke up. I don't know the process to get drugs for free from Pegasys or any of those companies, but maybe your husband can get in a trial. Maybe someone could chime in and give you some direction. Check out clinicaltrials.gov. If I needed to get tx'ed and I didn't have any money to see a doctor I would contact the places that provide medical care for HIV and Aids patients and see if they could help. I'm serious about that b/c most of those places are into helping ppl and sometimes it doesn't matter what you have they know where you can go if they can't help you. Also, see if there is a Harm Reduction Services in your area, I'm sure they can give you direction. Good Luck

moahunter - It's such a sad terrible story of how you got infected. Did that guy get any extra time for infecting you? Once again I come across a story that just makes me cringe and go thru so many emotions all at once, mostly anger. I don't feel anything for that dude at all and a crack head to boot. The drug I absolutely hate, I've never used it but I've seen the damage done and I just hate it with a passion. I don't know how you came to terms with it. I don't know how Alagirl came to terms with what happened to her. I guess you just go forward because of your family. It's not really the nature of a lady to get even I guess, besides how the hell could you even that score? God Bless

He got extra time (9 years in total), although I paid a small price for that, it required my infection to be made public in the Court, hence, everyone knows I have the disease as it was published on tv / newspapers, etc. Not that I mind that much, it has been interesting how many people I knew, had the disease, who came up to me and discussed it (knowing that I share the same condition so they could discuss in confidence). A bit of a pain having to explain what Hep C is to people all the time though.

I actually think I'm much luckier than most heppers, although I had acute symptoms (not pleasent), at least I knew what it was, and treatment could be started straight away. I think it's probably worse not knowing how you got the disease, or having got it from something stupid you did as a kid (when no-body knew the risk), or from a partner, or having lived with years of damage before realizing it. There is no "good" or "bad" way to get this disease, it's just something we have (or hopefully for me, had, I will find out 6 months post results soon). It is frustrating though to me, that the prision population is probably going to be a source for this disease circling around though, until eventually a more acceptable treatment is found.

"I beleive in kindness and compassion so of course I see this as good.
However, I wish there were more news concerning HCV and that it isn't just "that druggie' disease. I wish there were a way to make people as aware of HCV as they are of AIDS".

I agree with you totally and maybe somebody will chime in with an idea or something?

Moahunter- I hate to bug you about your terrible road to HepC, but how did it happen that his knife infected you? Was it from visable blood, dry blood or what? Do you know? God Bless

It was blood to blood contact, probably when we were struggling, or possibly towards the end of hostage taking. My fingers were cut (struggling with knife), neck, and arm, by the knife. I think fingers are the most likely source of infection, as I would have touched my assailant during the assault. My assailant was cut very after throwing his hand through window, I don't think he was cut before that (but I am not sure). We were both bleeding - alot of blood was left over in the house, I don't know how much was mine or his. I was baseline tested negative that evening, so we know this was source of infection. The event only lasted about 15 minutes (police were on the scene almost instantly, and even fired a shot in the house), so I don't know if blood can not be fresh in that span of time. I think fighting is a significant risk of Hep C infection, per my experience.

I just had to ask as nobody seems to know how much blood needs to be transmitted in order for someone to become infected. In the case of a needle stick it takes very little if it happens to a nurse on duty who, is not drawing blood. Phlebotimist seem to get accidentally poked quite a bit and the stats are higher for them getting accidentally stuck as opposed to nurses. I know in your case there was blood everywhere. I'm sorry that you had to go thru all that trouble first fighting for your life against the intruder, then fighting the HepC virus for your life, or better life. Something that would open up society's view and possibly sway some of the stigma surrounding HepC would be if Hollywood would make a movie, of a story like yours. They could have someone like Hilary Swank or even Angelina Jolie play the innocent victim, that would surely make ppl think. Or even a book written by Anne Rule the top true crime writer in the world as far as I know. Oh, I know you're not interested in sharing your life story and I'm not sugessting that you write a book or try to sell your story. All I'm saying is something similar to your tragic situation would be sellable because it's not about a drug user and it's not about any high risk areas which concern drugs, is all. Like orphanedhawk said "I wish there were a way to make people as aware of HCV as they are of AIDS". That's all I'm referring to. Take care and God Bless

I actually had that thought as well -perhaps even something like Larry King, or maybe just local newspapers/tv. There is plenty of historical news / tv media coverage available that could be used (lots of dramatic pictures of police with guns, blood, etc.), I headlined the local tv news for 3 days, and was invited on national news as well (I wasn't really up to it at the time). I was back on the front pages and tv news after infection was announced. On the one hand, I don't really want to do the media junkie thing, and want to get on with my life. But on the other hand, it may be worth it to publicise this disease a bit more. If I am SVR, I may consider this. At the moment, the reason I am lurking on here as I am a bit jumpy waiting for results, and thinking about this a bit more than I have the last few months as a result.

I hope others read this thread and see how much heart you have. I am glad you're at least open to the thought, because your unfortunate story does have definite market potential and public interest value. I often forget specifics unless I ask them, and yes I do ask alot of questions. As I was about to ask you what genotype you are I just looked at your profile and read your whole story. God I feel so dumb as I looked there the other day and I don't know if I read it or not, I don't know if anyone has brain fog as a symptom prior to tx, but that has been one of my worst symptoms. I remember looking at the picture, but I don't think the rest of it registered until tonight. Keep us posted on your progress, I will add you to my prayer list as I am always praying for someone and if I don't pray at night I pray during the day. God Bless

Fretboard:
Coming into this thread a little late, but very interesting post, lots of food for thought!

Pigeonca: I'm with you, but many people exclude "cruel and unusual" when referring to our convicted prisoner population, don't you think?

Andromeda: "There's also a constitutional right of freedom of speech - gone - no longer exists ..." etc.--------------
Whoa, lots of constitutional bashing there! Actually, the US Constitutional Bill of Rights is still intact...it isn't quite gone... YET. My view is that every individual SHOULD have the ability to pursue and practice those rights -- if we don't, it is only because we have LET them get taken away from us (or others), or refused to stand up for them. Our current reality, undoubtedly, is far from what the Forefathers envisioned, but the ideal is up to each and everyone of us to make real. The promises of the Constitution become just words ONLY if we as individuals don't believe they are valid anymore.

That being said, I think the lawsuit is a symptom of much bigger problems, on many fronts. (At the other spectrum, Vietnam veterans also have an extremely high incidence of HCV, but though some have tried, few have been successful in holding the government accountable, and these are our soldiers!) From the HCV standpoint, I think moahunter's and alagirl's experiences truly underscore the need to view the exiting prison population as a "high-risk" for infecting others. Whatever we can do to combat this disease and eliminate it from the human population is in everyone's best interest.

they claim the hep c issues are going to over tax our healthcare system. Stands to reason any inmate should be treated especially before release if they want this issue to be resolved. Everyone has the right to healthcare even inmates. What kind of society do we really live in?? Sounds as if population control has come into play....

Molly do you know how much average treatment costs? My course of treatment cost over $200,000 x say a million convicts getting treatment, who's going to pay for that???? Not me. Sorry.

Many many prison inmates have hcv yes but most of the time, HCV is a very slowly progressing disease and they would have plenty of time to wait until they are released, get a job and have their medical insurance pay for it. There usually is no reason to have to treat immediately, if prison starts treating for HCV with no legitimate reason of immediate peril then what else will people with no insurance be willing to do to get into jail to get free medical and dental? Reward them for raping and killing and my tax money should pay for it?

Dont get me wrong my husband was often in jail with alcohol and drug issues and he had HCV but I wouldn't have asked that prison pay for him and then take the money out of hard working Americans pay checks.

Look at that poor woman on the medical side desperate to get her end stage husband help........well he could go rob somebody and get into jail and then ask them for a liver transplant?

And I dont understand about population control, these people have a choice in their lives yet choose to break the law. It's kind of their choice to be there in a way.

I'd rather pay for the other woman's husband with my tax money.

Sorry. But this is no big conspiracy and convicts do get basic healthcare in prison, even dentistry.

Everyone has the right to health care. Let's not forget they are privatizing prisons and don't forget the poor souls who probably don't even belong there. Besides all that I still think that everyone has the right to health, too many of us have fallen through the cracks or are very close to losing our health care and being lock out of the system forever.....

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